In today's world of traveling, luggage is constantly moving domestically and internationally. Often times, bags or other pieces of luggage are lost or damaged and thus need to be monitored or tracked for liability purposes. It is useful to those burdened with the responsibility of monitoring or tracking these pieces of luggage to have real-time information about the status and location of the luggage. For example, it is useful to know the location, the condition, and whether the luggage has been accessed or tampered with by any unauthorized parties. Luggage can include items such as: clothes, high value tangibles, jewels, cash, etc. Therefore, the location and condition of the luggage/bags can be of great importance. Additionally, it is important to travelers to have the ability to narrow the number of people with access to a piece of luggage at a specific time to protect and assist them in claims against baggage handlers such as TSA and airlines in the event of theft. A variety of means are employed currently in an attempt to achieve this level of monitoring and tracking.
For example, one conventional technique is to place the luggage under lock and key at the departure point, and then unlock the luggage at the point of destination. However, this method has limited commercial success as it does not provide information as to either the condition of the luggage during traveling, or if the luggage has been taken on a detour during the trip. Nor is any indication given if a duplicate key (or other mechanism) was used to gain access to the luggage during transit, and then relocked to conceal that access. Moreover, due to present day security concerns, it is no longer possible to place luggage under lock and key for the duration of a trip.
A global positioning system (GPS) is a partial solution to the conventional lock problem. GPS has been used for tracking and monitoring automobiles and other high value items. Additionally, current monitoring practices also include luggage having an electronic seal and using GPS location logging. The electronic seal not only provides a tamper detection function but can also be used to carry data related to the luggage. The GPS logging function permits detection of a deviation from the planned transit route at the destination point. However, these methods do not provide information on access or condition during traveling. Thus, such a system utilizing only standalone electronic seals and GPS logging does not provide adequate security. For example, the GPS could be tracking a piece of luggage moving with the bag truck and the GPS logging function would simply have the capability to provide information on its continuously changing location and not whether the luggage is being accessed.
Other current burglar alarm technology utilizes continuous conductive strips on windows and doors. However, these strips, like any conductive strip, may be jumpered around and therefore, defeated. Moreover, the use of such conductive strips on pieces of luggage is not conducive to durability or function.
In view of these difficulties, it would be useful to those charged with the responsibility for the shipment of luggage to continuously know the luggage's condition, if it was accessed or tampered with, as well as its location.